CERI’s Journey
A Remark by Dr. Mona Afary
On October 12th, 2019, Center for Empowering Refugees and Immigrants celebrated the 40th anniversary of the end of Pol Pot's regime in Cambodia, and pay tribute to its survivors. Here is the remark of the evening by CERI’s executive director and a summary of it in Khmer:
"A journey of a thousand steps begins with a single step" - Lao Tzu.
Our Journey begins in 2001.
When I first started working with survivors of the Khmer Rouge genocide, overwhelmed, I had a sober conversation with myself: “Look Mona, what can you do for a community who has lost so many loved ones? How can they ever become psychologically healthy again?”
I decided to focus on the single step I could take: Address their severe PTSD.
Their faces said it all: Utterly depressed, hopeless, anxious, and haunted by flashbacks and nightmares. I listened to the stories with all my heart; there was a lot of silence on my part in these individual therapy sessions, which were conducted with our interpreters who would cry along with clients, remembering their own stories. So, at times, we would all cry together. I found out that nobody had ever heard their stories. Suffering in silence, these survivors did not even share their stories with their children, in fear of traumatizing them as well. Recounting these stories to someone who cared was healing.
Imagine surviving genocide, hunger and starvation; then unsafe refugee camps in Thailand before arriving to the high crime, impoverished neighborhoods here in Oakland. How could these survivors suffering from severe PTSD, who worked in farms, with little or no formal education, find and sustain a job that required language skills?
With psychotherapy and our pro-bono psychiatrist’s intervention our client’s PTSD symptoms began to reduce. Nightmares reduced from every night to a few times a week and then even less.
The same year that Khmer Rouge took over Cambodia in 1975, I moved to the U.S. and soon after fell into a deep depression. Unable to fit in, I felt isolated in a culture very different than my own. What saved me from my depression was my refuge in a community of Iranian student activists. We lived our lives with the purpose of changing our political regime in Iran to a humanitarian one. As part of that community, we shared our dreams with each other and used to rally and chant for democracy. We had each other and that was more life sustaining than anything else I could imagine.
Oakland’s Cambodian survivors did not have a community to begin their healing process. So, I was moved, when I noticed that clients would arrive to their individual therapy sessions half hour before their appointments and leave half hour or so later, so that they could sit in the waiting room together, drink coffee and chat amongst themselves.
That is how group therapy organically developed for us. In these very small groups, our clients began opening up about their struggles, Khmer Rouge, refugee camps and daily lives in high crime neighborhoods of Oakland.
Just as I began to see the possibility for maybe some healing, Social Security Services began raiding our clients’ apartments and interrogating our survivors in the middle of the night. 37 disability cases were denied, accusing them of fraud… further retraumatizing our survivors.
With the fierce effort and advocacy of two legal aid agencies, after 5 years, Social Security retracted these accusations and approved all cases for receiving benefits. Unfortunately, an apology was never issued.
I remember one day in my therapy session with a couple, whose social security case was denied, one of them said: “we are thinking about committing suicide, because we cannot imagine going to prison and being separated from our children.” For five years, our clients lived in fear; thinking, what happened to them in Cambodia could happen to them here. I assured them that in this country the families would not be forcibly separated.
But I was wrong. It happened again with the ICE raids.
Simultaneous to the Social Security raids, the agency I worked at lost its funding and shut down.
My colleague and I rented an office in the same building and continued to see our clients. I tried finding a parent agency for our clients, with no success. There was no other option but to start a nonprofit for Cambodian survivors.
CERI’s Humble Beginnings: 2006-2008
In 2006, with the help of the ex-director of a Cambodian CBO, we incorporated the Center for Empowering Refugees and Immigrants (CERI) as a nonprofit mental health agency. The clients who helped us with the move shared a rumor that someone had committed suicide there. I realized that most Cambodians would not dare step in that building. Seeing the desperate look on my face, they came up with a solution and invited 6 monks to purify the space with around 100 survivors and that is how CERI formally opened its door.
I learned through this experience that CERI had to be run grounded on the values and wisdom of the community. And this is exactly how CERI has functioned in the past 14 years: an endearing community for all of us, offering a deep sense of belonging.
CERI started a new chapter in the lives of our clients. It became a sanctuary and a true community center for healing.
Our path towards empowerment : 2008-2014
The next six years were marked with many challenges. Securing funding for a small grassroots agency was challenging.
In the midst of our financial struggle, our survivors asked us to start a program for their children and grandchildren, who were at risk, struggling with drug and alcohol abuse and in and out of Juvenile Halls. CERI developed a youth program, which was directed by our therapist who put all his heart into it.
In 2011, Alameda County Health Care Services granted CERI our first contract, allowing us to expand our youth program, this time, focusing on the needs of girls and young women who were at risk or involved in crime and underground sex trafficking. CERI’s youth mentor and educator transformed the lives of these young women.
Exploring our social activism 2014-2019
CERI has established a reputation as a sanctuary for a joyful and empowered community. In our small space at CERI, there is so much laughter, dancing, music, heartfelt conversations; so much sweetness. When someone who has never received services walks into CERI, just by stepping into a space that is filled with so much love, acceptance, joy and deep sense of unity, they feel better and experience a sense of belonging. New clients are dearly welcomed by our staff and community. The survivors give them hope and assure them of happiness in the very near future.
I realized that I was wrong to think that there would be no healing for these survivors. The power of a loving and compassionate community can be amazingly healing.
During these years, the county increased our contract. We started cultivating friendships, partnerships and collaborations, inviting other grassroots to our space and began hiring more staff; each bringing in their unique talents and magic to the new programs we added to our services.
The community showed early signs of activism when our survivors voted for the first time in 2008, followed by using our voice in the mid-term election and giving testimonials to Center for Justice and Accountability for the tribunals of the Khmer Rouge leaders.
What brought about the full social activism of our community was ICE deportation raids of the adult children of our community members. Our Staff tirelessly supported the community with organizing meetings and participating in rallies in front of the ICE building and Governor Neusom’s office; With the fierce advocacy of our collaboratives, two cases were vacated by the District attorney’s office and the other two were pardoned by Governor Neusom.
Just a few months ago, the county awarded us a contract to serve all Southeast Asian communities of different generations in Alameda. Now our community of survivors is empowered to give the gift of their healing to other traumatized survives.
My dear Khmer sister and brothers! I so dearly love you. You have taught me how to be forgiving, resilient, and appreciative of life. You are my heroes.
So many many of you played a part in creating this healing community. I wish I could thank you all by name, one by one. But I have only been given 15 minutes for my part on the stage.
So, just a few ones:
I would like to thank our volunteers who gave so much of their time, for creating this event, which will forever be imprinted onto the soul of our community.
Our main funding comes from Alameda County Behavioral Health Care Services. I am so grateful to you and all the other foundations and giving donors, who have trusted us and supported us along our journey.
I would like to thank you, my partner agencies who always advocated for us and helped us stay true to our values.
I am grateful for the support and advocacy of our district council member, district supervisor, and API Legislative caucus.
My gratitude to you who have served on our board, helping us with every skill that you have to advance our mission and make CERI what it has become today.
Thank you to our generous volunteers and our acupuncturist, yoga, zumba, knitting, ESl, citizenship teachers for bringing joy and healing to our survivors.
I cannot thank my staff, past and present, enough, who have given so much of themselves to serve everyone who steps foot through CERI’s door.
To my friends, thank you for standing by me and encouraging me to stay on this path.
To my parents and my family, thank you for teaching me the values of generosity, justice, and love.
To my husband, Taghi, thank you for helping me keep my sanity, despite all the anxiety and panic that I went through over our funding struggles and the dangers that threatened the lives of our youth at CERI. You stood by me in each and every step of the way.
CERI will continue its work with preventing deportations. Our priority will be training the children and grandchildren of our survivors, in becoming agents of social justice and policy changers. Please support us by mentoring these youth and sharing your resources with them as they are our future.
Over the years, our board has shown deep level of commitment and passion for CERI’s vision. To continue our work, we will be expanding. If you are aligned with our vision, we would love for you to join our Board.
In these difficult times in our country and the world, we see the need to expand our services and help others who have survived war, genocide, political repression and trauma. Inspired by the vision of my friend and colleague, Sean Kirkpatrick, we envision being in a building in Oakland, with a number of like-minded trauma informed agencies. We are hoping to share a space in providing social and psychological services to refugees and youth from all over the globe. I would like to invite you to be a part of this movement, we need your collective wisdom to explore options and avenues in order to make this dream a reality.
Our journey cannot stop here. There is so much more work to be done. Thank you for walking along side me on this journey with our resilient community that teaches and inspires all of us who work at CERI to live every day with love, joy and hope for an empowered tomorrow."
***
សាយ័ណ្តសួរស្តី
ខ្ញុំនឹងអានសងែ្ខបពីការថែ្លងសុន្ធិរកថារបស់ឣ្នកស្រីនាយិកា។
ខ្ញុំបានធ្វើការជាមួយទីភ្នាក់ងារសង្គម ដែលជួយដល់ឣ្នកនៅរស់រានមានជីវិតដែលមិនបានធ្លាប់ទទួលសេវាកម្មជំនួយព្យាបាលសុខភាពផ្លូវចិត្តទាល់តែសោះ។ ទឹកមុខរបស់ពួកគាត់បានបង្ហាញពីភាពអស់សង្ឃឹម ធុញថប់អារម្មណ៌ និងសុបិន្តអាក្រក់តោងតាមលងពួកគាត់ជានិច្ច ។
ស្ត្រីនិងបុរសទាំងនេះរស់នៅក្នុងភាពឯកោក្នុងសង្គមហើយចង់បានសហគមន៍ដែលយកចិត្តទុកដាក់ដល់ពួកគាត់។ បញ្ចាក់បន្ថែមពីលើនេះទៀតការព្យាបាលសុខភាពផ្លូវចិត្តវាពិតជាមានសារៈសំខាន់ខ្លាំងណាស់ ។
នៅក្នុងពាក់កណ្តាលនៃការដែលកំពុងដំណើរការនេះទីភ្នាក់ងារបានបាត់បង់មូលនិធិសម្រាប់កម្មវិធីជំនួយនេះហើយក៏បានបិទទ្វារចោល។
ការចាប់ផ្តើមដ៏លំបាកពីដំបូងរបស់ពួកយើង៖ឆ្នាំ ២០០៦-២០០៨ ។
នៅឆ្នាំ ២០០៦ ដោយមានជំនួយឧបត្ថមពី Lucy Dul (ស៊ីរី) ក៏បានបង្កើតឡើងក្នុងអាគារដ៏ស្រស់ស្អាតមួយនៅភាគខាងកើតទីក្រុងអូកឡែន។ ដោយមើលឃើញទឹកមុខខ្ញុំស្រពាប់ស្រពោនពួកគាត់ក៏បានបញ្ចេញយោបល់ដោះស្រាយដោយនិមន្តព្រះសង្ឃមកប្រសិទ្ធិពរជ័យដល់អាគារនោះ។ដោយមានសហការដោយឆន្ទះពីអ្នករស់រានមានជីវិតទាំងនេះ CERI បានបើកទ្វារជាផ្លូវការ។
បទពិសោធន៏ដែលបានសិក្សាកន្លងមក CERI អាចដំណើរការបានគឺចាំបាច់ត្រូវមានសហការជាមួយគុណតម្លៃនិងប្រាជ្ញារបស់អ្នកនៅរស់រានមានជីវិតទាំងនេះ។ នេះជាសត្យាភាពដែលជួយអោយ CERI ដំណើរការក្នុងរយៈពេល ១៤ ឆ្នាំកន្លងមកនេះ។ នេះជាមូលហេតុដែលធ្វើអោយCERIបានលូតលាស់និងក្លាយជាទីពំនាក់អាស្រ័យក្នុងសហគមន៍ដែលពោរពេញទៅដោយភាពជិតស្និទ,ជឿទុកចិត្ត,សេចក្តីសង្ឃឹមនិងសេចក្តីអំណរសប្បាយរីករាយ។
ជំហានដំបូងឆ្ពោះទៅរកការពង្រឹងភាពជឿជាក់ឆ្នាំ ២០០៨-២០១៤ ។
ការពង្រឹងមូលនិធិគឺជាបញ្ហាប្រឈមមុខលំបាកបំផុតសម្រាប់ទីភ្នាក់ងារមិនស្វែងរកប្រាក់ចំណេញ ។ ទោះយ៉ាងណាក៏ដោយការបិទទ្វារមិនមែនជាជម្រើសរបស់ខ្ញុំទេ។ ខ្ញុំបានជំរុញ ផ្តល់គំនិតយោបល់ដល់អ្នកផ្តល់មូលនិធិ និងអ្នកនៅរស់រានមានជីវិតនឹងលើកទឹកចិត្តពួកគេឱ្យគាំទ្រទីភ្នាក់ងារយើង។
នៅពេលជួបបញ្ហាហិរញ្ញវត្ថុ អ្នកនៅរស់រានមានជីវិតបានសុំឱ្យខ្ញុំកាត់បន្ថយរាល់ជំនួយបន្ថែមទាំងអស់។ ហើយឆ្លៀតឱកាសពេលនោះខ្ញុំក៏ចាប់ផ្តើមកម្មវិធីតូចមួយសម្រាប់ជួយដល់យុវជនដែលមានបញ្ហានឹងការញៀនសេពគ្រឿងស្រវឹង,និងហើយយុវជនទាំងនោះត្រូវរស់នៅតាមដងផ្លូវឬចេញចូលសាលក្រមសំរាប់អនិតិជន។ Hamid ShafiezadehហើយនិងJen Jastrab ជាអ្នកចាត់ចែងកម្មវិធីនេះ ។
សិក្សាសកម្មភាពសង្គមរបស់យើងឆ្នាំ ២០១៤-២០១៩ ។
CERI បានបង្កើតកេរ្តិ៍ឈ្មោះក្លាយជាសហគមន៍ផ្តល់ការព្យាបាលនិងផ្តល់សាងភាពជឿជាក់។
នៅពេលនរណាម្នាក់ដែលមិនធ្លាប់បានទទួលសេវាកម្ម ហើយបានមកសុំការជួយពី CERI ពេលគាត់គ្រាន់តែបោះជំហានចូលមក គាត់ក៏មានអារម្មណ៍ទទួលបាននូវភាពពោរពេញទៅដោយក្តីស្រឡាញ់ និងអារម្មណ៍នៃសាមគ្គីភាពដ៏ជ្រាលជ្រៅ និងមានអារម្មណ៍ល្អប្រសើរនិងទទួលអារម្មណ៍ពីភាពជាម្ចាស់។ ក្នុងអាគារដ៏តូចមួយនេះពោរពេញទៅដោយសំណើចសើចសប្បាយ ការរាំ ច្រៀង,ការសន្ទនាយល់ពីចិត្ត និងភាពផ្អែមល្ហែម។
អតិថិជនថ្មីត្រូវបានស្វាគមន៍ដោយសុទ្ឋចិត្តពីបុគ្គលិកនិងសហគមន៍របស់យើង។ ពួកគាត់ស្តាប់និង ចែករំលែករឿងរ៉ាវរបស់ពួកគាត់និង ក្តីសង្ឃឹម ដ៏ខ្លីខាងមុខនេះ។ អំណាចនៃសេចក្តីស្រឡាញ់ និងមេត្តាធម៌ពីសហគមន៍គឺជាការព្យាបាលដ៏សក្តិសិទ្ធិបំផុត។
ពួកគាត់បានចូលរួមបោះឆ្នោតជាលើកតំបូងនិងផ្តល់ចំលើយសក្ខីភាពរបស់ពួកគាត់ដល់តុលាការកាត់ក្តីមេដឹកនាំខ្មែរក្រហម។ ថ្មីៗនេះសហគមន៍របស់យើងបានចូលរួមនៅក្នុងការប្រមូលផ្តុំគ្នាតវ៉ាប្រឆាំងនៅមុខអាគារអន្តោប្រវេស្ត៍្ ICE ហើយក្រោយមកនៅឯការិយាល័យរបស់អភិបាលរដ្ឋ Newsom ដោយជំរុញឱ្យស្ថាប័នទាំងពីរបញ្ឈប់ការនិរទេសយុវជនរបស់ពួកគាត់។ ករណីពីរត្រូវបានចាត់ជាមោឃះ និងពីរករណីរត្រូវបានអភ័យទោសដោយអភិបាល Newsom ។
សហគមន៍របស់យើងត្រូវបានផ្តល់សិទ្ធិអំណាចឱ្យផ្តល់អំណោយនៃការព្យាបាលរបស់ពួកគេដល់អ្នករស់រានមានជីវិតដែលមានជំងឺបាក់ស្បាត។ យើងទាំងអស់គ្នាមានមោទនភាពចំពោះជំពូកថ្មីនេះ។
យប់នេះគឺជាឱកាសពិសេសមួយដើម្បីអបអរសាទរ១៤ឆ្នាំមកនោះខ្ញំសូមជូនពរដល់អ្នកឣោយមានសុខភាពល្ឣ។
ខ្ញុំសូមថ្លែងអំណរគុណដល់សហគមន៍ខ្មែររបស់ខ្ញុំ
អ្នកគឺជាវីរជនររបស់ខ្ញុំ។ អ្នកបានបង្រៀនខ្ញុំពីរបៀបអភ័យទោសឣត់ធន់និងការដឹងគុណចំពោះជីវិត។ ខ្ញុំសូមឱ្យអ្នកក្រោកឈរនិងអបអរសាទរសហគមន៍ CERI របស់យើងចំពោះឣ្នករស់រានមានជីវិត។
លោក Taghi ដែលជាប្តីឣ្នកស្រីនាយិកា។
ខ្ញុំសូមអរគុណចំពោះការជឿទុកចិត្តលើខ្ញុំភាពរអត់ធ្មត់គាំទ្រនិងសេចក្តីស្រឡាញ់ដែលមិនផ្លាស់ប្តូរ។
ជូនចំពោះគ្រួសារខ្ញុំសូមអរគុណដែលបានបង្រៀនខ្ញុំពីគុណធម៌នៃភាពសប្បុរសធម៌,យុត្តិធម៌.និងសេចក្តីស្រឡាញ់។
